Obituaries in 1903

Arthur Shrewsbury.--As everyone interested in cricket is aware, Arthur Shrewsbury shot himself on the evening of May 19. Illness which he could not be induced to believe curable, together with the knowledge that his career in the cricket field was over, had quite unhinged his mind, and those who knew him best-- Alfred Shaw among the number--had for some little time before the tragic end came been apprehensive of suicide.

It may fairly be claimed for Shrewsbury that he was the greatest professional batsman of his day. He had strong rivals in William Gunn, Abel, George Ulyett, Barnes, and, more recently, Hayward, but, looking at his career as a whole, he would, by the majority of critics, be given the first place. There was never any doubt about his class, for even when in 1873, as a lad of seventeen, he came up to Lord's to play for the Colts of England against the M. C. C., it was confidently stated at Nottingham that he was sure to develop into a crack batsman. Like other young Notts players of those days, he had, to a certain extent, modelled his style on that of the late Richard Daft, and to this fact can be attributed the ease and finish of his method. He played from the first like one who had little left to learn, and only needed experience. He was given a place in the Notts eleven in 1875, and in a season of wet weather and small scores he came out fourth in the county's batting, averaging 17, with an aggregate of 313 runs. His highest innings was only 41, but he played in such fine form as to justify all that had been said in his favour. The following year he made his first great success, scoring 118 against Yorkshire, at Trent Bridge, and in May, 1877, he made 119 at the Oval for the Players of the North against Gentlemen of the South, this being his first big innings on a London ground. Thenceforward he was recognised as one of the leading professional batsmen in England.

The turning point in Shrewsbury's career was his first visit to Australia in the winter of 1881-82. He went out in bad health, but came home, physically speaking, a new man, the sea voyages and the warm climate having done wonders for him. In 1882, in the August Bank Holiday match at the Oval, he played an innings of 207 against Surrey--the first of his many scores of over two hundred in big matches--and from that time he met with ever increasing success, his highest point being reached in 1887, when in first-class cricket he scored 1,653 runs, with the wonderful average of 78. Eight times that season he obtained over a hundred, his highest score being 267 at Trent Bridge against Middlesex. He was absent from English cricket in 1888 being engaged in managing a foot ball team in Australia, but he was back again in the Notts Eleven in 1889, and played on without interruption until the end of the season of 1893. In 1894, partly by reason of indifferent health, he was not seen in first-class matches, but he reappeared for Notts in 1895, and, as everybody knows, went on playing regularly until the close of the season of 1902. In that year his form for a man of forty-six years of age was astonishingly good, and for the first time in his life--against Gloucestershire, at Nottingham--he made two separate hundreds in one match.

Among his many great innings he always thought himself that absolutely the best was his 164 for England against Australia, at Lord's, in 1886. The wicket on the first day varied in pace, owing to rain, in a most puzzling way, and one famous member of the Australian Eleven said frankly that he should not have thought it possible under the conditions that prevailed for any batsman to obtain such a mastery over the bowling. The innings, however, great as it was, could scarcely have been finer than his 106--also at Lord's--for England against Australia in 1893, when he and F. S. Jackson trimphed over Charles Turner's bowling on a wicket rendered extremely difficult by rain and sun. In Gentlemen and Players matches Shrewsbury was conspicuously successful, scoring over a hundred twice at Lord's and twice at the Oval. As a batsman he had a style of back play peculiarly his own, and his judgment of the length of bowling was almost unequalled. It was said of him that he seemed to see the ball closed up to the bat than any other player. More than that, there was such an easy grace of style and such a suggestion of mastery in everything he did that, whether he scored slowly or fast, his batting, to the true judge of cricket, was always a delight. Excepting of course W. G. Grace, it may be questioned if we have ever produced a more remarkable batsman. On sticky wickets he was, by universal consent, without an equal in his best seasons his defence being so strong and his patience so inexhaustible. Personally, Shrewsbury was a man of quiet, retiring disposition, and while very proud of the place he had won in the cricket-field, always modest when speaking of his own doings.

ROBERT THOMS.--For some time before he passed away on June 10 there had been such very bad accounts for Bob Thom's health that no one was at all surprised when the announcement of his death appeared in the papers. It had been known for some months there was no chance of his recovery, but less than two months before his death he had so much to say about cricket and his mind was still so bright that it did not seem as if the end were quite so near. He broke up very rapidly at the finish, and died after one final rally. In him there has gone a remarkable and interesting personality. No one had a more thorough knowledge of cricket, or could speak with greater authority about all the leading players of the last sixty years. Ambitious of being a public cricketer himself, he cam out at Lord's when Fuller Pilch was the best bat in England, and it was his privilege to watch the triumphs of George Parr, Hayward, Carpenter, Richard Daft, Jupp, Tom Humphrey, E. M. Grace, W. G. Grace, and all the other great run-getters down to Ranjitsinhji and C. B. Fry. Even in the season of 1902 he saw Victor Trumper bat at the Hastings Festival, and complimented him on his splendid innings of 120 against the South of England. Thoms always looked at cricket with the eyes of a young man, and was quite free from the fault--so common among men who live to a great age--of thinking that all the good things belonged to the past. This freshness of mind prevented his talk about cricket from ever becoming prosy or flat. In his last years as an umpire--he gave up after the season of 1900--he was just as enthusiastic in his praise of fine work with bat or ball as he would have been forty years ago. To Middlesex cricket, with which he was closely associated from the formation of the county club in the sixties, he was always devoted, and nothing cheered him up more in his last illness than visits from Mr. V. E. Walker and Mr. A. J. Webbe. He was never tired of referring to the Middlesex eleven in the days when V. E. Walker was captain, and was very proud of the fact that he stood umpire in every first class match played on the old Cattle Market ground at Islington. Right up to the end he had a singularly retentive memory, and when in congenial company he would tell numberless stories about the Walkers, C. F. Buller, and A. W. T. Daniel. In those distant days, of course, the modern system had not been adopted, and each county always appointed its own umpire.

The Graces, as cricketers, had no more fervent admirer than Thoms, and he was fond of saying that if W. G. Grace had not been such a marvellous bat he would have been the best slow bowler in England, his head work being so remarkable and his command of length so perfect. Of E. M. Grace's all-round capabilities, too, and especially his fielding at point, Thoms would never weary of talking. Among modern bowlers he, in common with most good judges, placed Spofforth first, while fully recognising the great qualities of Palmer, Turner and George Lohmann. As to the bowlers of his younger days, he thought very highly indeed of Hillyer and John Wisden. Curiously enough the present writer never heard him speak of Buttress, the famous but unfortunately too thirsty leg-breaker, who has been described by more than one distinguished cricketer of the past as absolutely the most difficult bowler England ever produced. Buttress's sovereign gift was his power of bowling a deadly leg-break with a real control over his pitch. He got so much spin on the ball that, according to Mr. Henry Perkins, the man who tried to play him without gloves on was almost certain to have the skin knocked off his knuckles.

In dress, manner and appearance Thoms belonged essentially to the sixties, looking exactly like the photographs of some of the players of those days. He had a keen sense of humour, and told his cricket stories in a short, crisp way peculiarly his own. It was to be regretted that he did not, during the throwing controversy, bring the weight of his authority to bear on the side of fair bowling, but the traditions of his youth were too strong for him, and he always shrank from the task. However, in a quiet way he made his influence felt, plainly telling the leading amateurs that if they wanted to rid the game of an evil they all admitted they must act for themselves and not throw the whole onus on the umpires. Moreover, he was the means of some audacious young throwers dropping out of county cricket, his kindly method being to get them employment in other directions. Though cricket was the main interest of his life Thoms was a good all-round sportsman, taking as a young man a keen delight in foot racing and the prize ring. He was a good runner himself, and could, so it is said, do a hundred yards in ten and a half seconds. Of anything he took up he was bound to be a good judge, his perception of excellence amounting to an absolute gift. He often talked about putting into book form his 60 years' experience of the cricket field, but whether he ever seriously commenced the task one cannot say.

MR. Arthur Haygarth.--By the death of Mr. Arthur Haygarth at his London residence on the 1st of May, at the age of seventy-seven, there passed away a famous cricketer, whose name will always be gratefully recalled as long as the game continues to be played. Although a very capable exponent of the game which he loved so much, he will always be chiefly known to fame as the compiler of the Cricket Scores and Biographies. In 1842, while still at Harrow School, he commenced his labour of love, being but sixteen years of age at the time, and it says much for his enthusiasm for his work that to the day of his death his interest in the subject remained as great as ever. When he began to collect facts concerning the history of cricket and the chief players, it was merely as an amusement, and with no idea of his notes ever being published. In 1852, however, Mr. F. P. Miller, the captain of the famous Surrey team of which Caffyn, H. H. Stephenson, Lockyer, Mortlock, Griffith, and Cæsar were the leading lights, asked Mr. Haygarth to lend him his manuscript with a view to publication. To this the latter readily consented, but Vol. I. did not appear until ten years later. In 1873, the M. C. C. invited Mr. Haygarth to continue his work, with the result that the last ten volumes of the magnum opus have been published through the instrumentality of the premier club. Altogether the work consists of fourteen volumes, every line of which was penned by Mr. Haygarth, the statement inserted at the commencement of the first volume that the Lillywhites assisted in the compilation being altogether inaccurate, and inserted merely to suit their own ends. It would be impossible to overestimate the value of Mr. Haygarth's labours, while to state that his death has left a gap which it will be impossible to fill is a fact of which every student of the game is fully conscious. For a period of over sixty years he worked loyally at his self-imposed task, never losing heart when meeting with a rebuff, nor becoming weary in seeking out unexplored fields that promised to contain any records or novelties connected with the game. With reference to his great work, Mr. Haygarth wrote: There is certainly one great mistake, or rather oversight. Which I made during the 50 years and upwards in which I was engaged on the Cricket Scores and Biographies, and it is this -- I preserved too many matches of an inferior calabre by far. If I had not done this the fourteen volumes already published would have reached a date much further than they do now, namely, to the end of 1878.

The last volume issued was the fourteenth, in 1894, the M. C. C. declining to continue publication owing to the fact that it was not a success financially. This action on the part of the Club caused Mr. Haygarth much distress, but did not result in his enthusiasm for the game lessening in the slightest degree. A short time before his death Mr. Haygarth said to the writer of this memoir, I can truly affirm that if, when I began the collection, I had known the trouble and expense I have been put to for so many years, I should never have undertaken the work. I am wise too late. He was a voluminous writer and frequently contributed articles and paragraphs to Cricket under the nom de plume of An Old Harrovian.

for M. C. C. and Ground against Sussex, at Lord's, in 1860, when he and the late J. Grundy bowled unchanged throughout the match.

MR. Arthur Haygarth, who was buried at Brompton on the 5th of May, was the youngest of three brothers, the others being the Rev. Canon Henry William Haygarth, who died on December 31st last, aged eighty-one, having been vicar of Wimbledon since 1859, and Colonel Francis Haygarth, late adjutant of the Scots Fusilier Guards, who was most severely wounded at the battle of the Alma, and who survives. Mr. Arthur Haygarth was the only one of the brothers who participated in the game. Three cousins, however, earned distinction on the cricket field, Mr. J. W. Haygarth playing for Winchester in 1858, 1859, 1860 and 1861 (being captain the last two years), and for Oxford in 1862, 1863, and 1864; Mr. Frederick being in the Winchester elevens of 1864, 1865 and 1866; and Mr. E. B. appearing for Lancing College in 1868, 1869, and 1870. The three last-named were brothers, of whom a fourth, Mr. G. A. Haygarth, was also a good player, although not known to fame.

THOMAS RAWLINSON, an elder brother of the late E. B. Rawlinson (who appeared for Yorkshire from 1867 to 1875), died at Hawick on January 7th. He never took part in county cricket, and played at Lord's but once--for Colts of England v. M. C. C. and Ground, in 1863. Mr. Haygarth described him as a good average batman, an excellent middle paced, round-armed bowler, taking in the field either point, cover-point, or middle-wicket-off. He was born at Yeadon, near Leeds, February 15th, 1833.

MR. WILLIAM HYNE-HAYCOCK, an old member of the Surrey County and Marylebone Cricket Clubs, died suddenly at 153, Church Street, Chelsea, on January 13th, at the age of 71. He was the father of the Rev. T. R. Hyne Haycock, of Wellington College and Oxford University, and a most enthusiastic follower of the game.

George Pinder, who had been in bad health for some little time, died on the 15th January, at Hickleton, in his sixty-second year. Inasmuch as he dropped out of first-class cricket more than twenty years ago, he was only a name to the present generation of players, but lovers of the game, whose recollections go back to the '70's, will remember him as one of the finest wicket-keepers we ever had. To very fast bowling he was perhaps the best of all, but in this connection something could be said for Tom Plumb. In a match at Lord's, in 1870, George Freeman--then at the height of his fame as a fast bowler--was

CAPTAIN ALFRED TORRENS of the Harrow Elevens 1848 and 1849, died suddenly at his residence, Baston Manor, Hayes, Kent, on January 22nd, at the age of seventy-one. His experience of the Public School Matches was a very fortunate one, as he was on the winning side in all the four matches in which he participated. He was a member of the West Kent Club, and an original member of I. Zingari. Two of his sons have been in the Harrow Eleven, and one, M. Torrens, has played for Kent.

DUNCAN GEORGE FORBES died at Brisbane, on January 23rd. He was a generous supporter of the game in Queensland. He was for some years editor of the Queensland Cricketer and Footballer, and, in 1889, issued a Queensland Cricket Guide.

THE REV. GODFREY BOLLES LEE, Warden of Winchester College since 1861, died at his residence in Winchester on January 29th, at the age of 85. He formed one of the Winchester Eleven against Eton and Harrow at Lord's in 1833 and 1834, and assisted Oxford against Cambridge on the same ground in 1838 and 1839. His portrait appeared in the Illustrated London News of July 29th, 1893, and again in the same paper of February 7th, 1903.

CAPTAIN RICHARD SCOTT LAMB died at his residence, Albany Grove, Leixlip, Co. Kildare, on January 31st, at the early age of 37. He was a prominent member of the Co. Kildare C. C.

H. V. BAYLY died at Hobart, in January. He represented Tasmania in the seventies against Victoria and South Australia. At the time of his death he was Deputy Postmaster General of Tasmania.

THE RIGHT REV. THE HON. ARTHUR TEMPLE LYTTELTON, D.D., Bishop of Southampton, died, after a prolonged illness, at the Castle House, Petersfield, on February 19th. He was the fifth son of the fourth Lord Lyttelton, and was born in London on January 7th, 1852. His first appearance at Lord's was for Eton against Harrow in 1870. Scores and Biographies (vol. xi, p. 404) says of him:-- Like the rest of the family he is a fine free hitter, and an excellent field at long-leg, or middle-wicket-off. Height 5ft. 11½ inches; weight 12st. 8lbs.

MR. JAMES LARGE, formerly a prominent figure in Philadelphian cricket, died in March.

COL. C. A. LIARDET, one of the greatest supporters there has ever been of Indian Cricket, died at Ootacamund (Madras Presidency), early in March. He took part in the first Inter-Presidency match-- played 40 years ago--arranged in India, when a Madras team went up to Calcutta.

MR. CHARLES WHITTINGTON LANDON was born at Bromley, in Kent, May 30th, 1850, and died at Ledstone Hall on March 5th 1903. He was in the Bromsgrove School XI in 1866 and 1867, and appeared for Lancashire in 1874 and 1875 and for Yorkshire in 1878, 1879, 1881 and 1882. He was a good all-round player, and in inter-club matches met with very great success. He will always be remembered in connection with the Yorkshire Gentlemen's Club, for which he had played regularly since 1876. As a bowler he was medium-paced, right-hand round-arm. He was buried at Ledsham on March 7th.

DR. H. H. ALMOND, who was headmaster and proprietor of Loretto school from 1862 until his death, died at North Esk Lodge, Musselburgh, on March 7th, at the age of 70. He led the cricket eleven at Loretto at until 50 years of age.

THE RT. HON. SIR RICHARD GARTH, K. C., P. C., died at Cedar House. Cheniston Gardens, Kensington, on March 23rd, in his eighty-fourth year. Mr. Garth formed one of the Eton Eleven in 1837 and 1838, playing each year against Winchester and Harrow. He afterwards assisted Oxford against Cambridge in 1839, 1840, 1841 and 1842. He was a good average wicket keeper, and a trifle above the ordinary run as a batsman. His best innings was played in the University match of 1841. Oxford were set 121 runs to win, and only Garth exhibited any mastery over the bowling. Although wickets fell fast he continued to score, and it was a question whether he would be able to pull off the match for his side before the last wicket fell. After great excitement Cambridge won by eight runs, Garth carrying out his bat for 40--a large innings in those days. He was called to the Bar at Lincoln's in 1847,and took silk in July, 1866. He was M. P. for Guildford in the Conservative interest from December 1866 until November 1868, and from March 1875 (in which year he was knighted) until March, 1880, was Chief Justice of Bengal. In 1882 he was sworn of the Privy Council. A younger brother of the deceased, the Rev. Henry Garth, who died on September 30th, 1859, aged 34, was in the Eton Elevens of 1841, 1842 and 1843

MR. F. S. CHAMBERS, who twice appeared for Canada against the United States, died on March 23rd, at Toronto, in Canada.

THE REV. C. E. B. NEPEAN, who died on the 26th March, was born on February 5th, 1851. Mr. Nepean had since 1876 been vicar of Lenham, in Kent. As a cricketer he did not gain so much distinction as he deserved, fortune being somewhat unkind to him. After four seasons in the Charterhouse team he went up to Oxford with a good reputation as a batsman, and was twelfth man in 1870, missing his Blue, but playing against Surrey at the Oval immediately after the memorable Oxford and Cambridge match which F. C. Cobden's bowling won at the finish for Cambridge by two runs. His future at Oxford seemed assured, but from some cause he did not get a place in the eleven till his last year--1873. Then, however, he made up for lost opportunities, scoring 22 and 50 against Cambridge, and helping the late C. J. Ottaway to gain for Oxford a well-deserved victory by three wickets. On the strength of this excellent performance he was picked three weeks later for the Gentlemen in the first Gentlemen and Players match ever decided at prince's ground, Hans Place. He was an admirable batsman, with a very neat and business-like style. Nothing was seen of him in good class matches of late years, but as a member of the Kent committee he kept in close touch with the game.

MR. J. N. RIDLEY, who formed one of the Oxford University Authentics' team in India last winter, died from typhoid fever at Sydney on March 28th. Mr. Ridley left his comrades at Lucknow in the best of health on February 15th, with the intention of returning home via Colombo, Australia, China, Japan, and the United States. He was in his twenty-fourth year.

THE REV. A. H. HORE, who died suddenly on April 7th, at his residence at Cheltenham in his 74th year, was a member of the Oxford Eleven in 1851. He was educated at Tonbridge and Trinity College, Oxford.

MR. S. E. BUTLER.--By the death Bath, on the 30th of April, at the age of 53, of Mr. Samuel Evan Butler, of Combe Hay, Somerset-the Oxford fast bowler--another of the famous players who made University cricket such a great thing at the beginning of the seventies passed away. During his two years at Eton and four years at Oxford Mr. Butler did a lot of good work as a bowler, but his fame rests entirely on his wonderful performance in the University match of 1871, when he took all ten wickets in the first innings of Cambridge for 38 runs, and obtained in the whole game fifteen wickets for 95 runs. His feat remains unique, no one else in the Oxford and Cambridge match having ever taken all the wickets in one innings. He was a right-handed bowler and possessed great pace. On that one afternoon at Lord's he was unplayable, but he never afterwards approached the same form. Indeed, it has been stated that he himself declared that he never bowled really well after the day of his triumph. This, however, was an exaggeration, as when, in 1873, he played against Cambridge for the last time, he took five wickets in the first innings of the match for 48 runs. In the University match of 1870 Mr. Butler had a painful experience, as he was the first of the three batsmen who, at the finish, were out to successive balls from F. C. Cobden. Mr. Butler was born in Colombo and was a man of fine physique, standing 6ft. 2in. On the strength of his great performance against Cambridge, he was chosen for Gentlemen against Players in 1871 both at Lord's and the Oval.

DAVID EASTWOOD, a well known cricketer of a previous generation, passed away on May 17th, at Huddersfield, in his fifth-sixth year. He was born at Lascelles Hall on March 30th, 1848, and made his first appearance for Yorkshire in 1870. Considering how useful and all-round player he was, it is surprising that he did not participate more in county cricket, for he assisted his county on but twenty-nine occasions despite the fact that he played successfully in several North v. South matches. The best innings of his career was his 68 against Middlesex in 1877, which was the chief cause of the success of his side by 35 runs. As a bowler he was frequently utilised, and his most successful performance with the ball was accomplished in the North v South match at Prince's in 1877, when, going on first with Morley, he obtained six wickets for 69 runs in the South's innings of 459 ( W. G. Grace, 261). In a minor match in 1874--when playing for Durham County against Yorkshire United--he obtained four wickets in four balls. In 1877 Eastwood assisted the Players against the Gentlemen at Prince's, this being his only appearance in the classic match.

THE REV. DR. WILLIAM INGE, who assisted Oxford against Cambridge in 1853, died at Worcester College, Oxford, of which he was Provost, on May 23rd, in his 74th year, and was buried at Shrewsbury on May 27th. He was a batsman with good defence, and bowled right-hand medium-paced. His younger brother, the Rev. Francis George Inge, who survives was a capital batman, and assisted Oxford against Cambridge in 1861, 1862 and 1863.

WILLIAM BREWSTER, who had been for many years bowler, etc., to the Staten Island C. C., died at Trenton early in June at the age of 68.

THE VEN. ARCHDEACON ALEXANDER COLVIN AINSLIE, of Wells, Somerset, who died during the second week of June, presided at the meeting at Sidmouth on August 18th, 1875, held after the conclusion of the match between the Gentlemen of Somerset and the Gentlemen of Devon, at which the Somerset County C. C. was formed. He was extremely devoted to the game, but his name will not be found in any matches of note.

MR. E. P. PREST, who died in mid-June at the age of 73, was a member of the Cambridge Eleven of 1850, playing that year against Oxford, in the last Varsity match played at Oxford. He was educated at Eton and Trinity College, Cambridge, and was called to the Bar in 1855.

JAMES M. STEWART, jun., who died from appendicitis on June 26th, was captain of the Philadelphia Cup XI. of the Philadelphia C. C.

MR. W. METHVEN BROWNLEE, a very great lover and supporter of the game, who will be best remembered as the author of W. G. Grace: a Biography, died at Clifton on July 3rd, at the age of 56. He was the father of Mr. L. D. Brownlee, who has played for Clifton College, Oxford University, Somersetshire, and Gloucestershire.

MR. JOHN NORTON TONGE, who had appeared with success for Kent, died at Chevening, near Sevenoaks, on July 8th, after many years of ill-health. He was a very useful batsman, possessing sound defence, and was a safe field. His scores in minor matches, and especially for the Bickley Park Club, will be found to have been very large. He was born on July 9th, 1865, and was educated at Cheltenham. He was buried at Chevening Church on July 13th.

HARRY EYRE PEARSON, who played three times for Yorkshire in 1878, and twice in 1880, died at Sheffield on July 8th, and was buried at Intake on July 11th. He was born on August 7th, 1851, at Attercliffe, near Sheffield. Scores and Biographies (vol. xiv, p. 696) described him as an excellent slow, originally fast, round-armed bowler, with (1878) a great `local reputation,' and an average batsman, fielding generally at cover-point or long-leg. In the five matches in which he assisted Yorkshire he scored 36 runs, with an average of 9, and obtained seven wickets at a cost of 18.85 runs each.

CORNELIUS COWARD, who was born at Preston on January 27th, 1838, died at his native place on July 15th. For many years, commencing in 1865, he was of the greatest service to Lancashire as a batsman, his cutting being especially fine. Probably the finest innings of his career was his 85 for Lancashire against Middlesex at Manchester in 1866, seeing that he obtained his score after five men had been disposed of for sixteen between them. He appeared in several representative matches, such as North v. South and England v. Surrey, and on two occasions--in 1867 and 1868--took part in the Gentlemen v Players' match at the Oval. In 1878 the match between Lancashire and Nottinghamshire was set apart as a benefit for him. Coward was a well-known county umpire up to ten years ago.

MR. JOHN TUDOR DAVIES, who had been on the reporting staff of The sportsmen for seventeen years, died in London on September 2nd, at the early age of thirty-eight. He was buried at Nunhead Cemetery on September 8th.

JOHN JOEL, who for a great many years had charge of the cricket utensils at Eton college, and who will be readily remembered by old Etonians of more than one generation, died at Eton on September 14th, at the age of eighty-nine.

MR. J. A. BOURNE, of Staffordshire, died at Fenton on September 15th, at the early age of 23, after a long and painful illness. He was a very promising player.

John Crossland.--The death on September 26th of Crossland--at one time the most talked-of bowler in England--recalled a very lively controversy that disturbed the cricket world in the eighties. A Nottingham man by birth, Crossland qualified for Lancashire by residence, and appeared first for the county in 1878. Three years later, when Lancashire stood at the head of the counties, he began to assert himself, and in 1882 he was beyond doubt the most effective fast bowler in England. His pace was tremendous, and even the best batsmen rather dreaded him. Outside Lancashire, however, his delivery was generally condemned, the majority of experts having no hesitation in describing him as a rank thrower. But for this feeling as to his action he would in all probability have been picked for England in the memorable match at the Oval when the Australians--thanks to Spofforth and Boyle--won by seven runs. Crossland was passed by the umpires, but all through the season of 1882 his bowling was the subject of discussion, among those who thought him unfair being Thomas Horan and other members of the Australian eleven. At the same time there were other Lancashire bowlers who did not escape criticism, and the upshot was that Middlesex in 1883 and Notts in 1884 declined to make fixtures with Lancashire. Naturally, a great deal of ill-feeling was aroused, and on one occasion at the Oval a demonstration against Crossland so enraged Mr. Hornby that he was with difficulty persuaded to finish the match. The climax of the controversy was reached in 1885, when Kent, after appearing at Manchester, refused to play their return match with Lancashire on the ground that that county employed unfair bowlers. In taking this step Kent were guided by their captain, Lord Harris, who explained his position in a letter to the Lancashire committee. So far as Crossland was concerned the quarrel suddenly came to an end on a different issue altogether, it being ruled by the M. C. C.--after full inquiry--that by living in Notts during the winter he had broken his qualification, and had no longer any right to play for Lancashire. This ended his career in first-class cricket, but he continued to play in small matches, and only gave up the game about four years ago.

JAMES SLACK, who died at Ipswich, Queensland, on September 17th, was one of the pioneers of cricket in those parts. He made the first score of a hundred in Queensland.

J. PRESTON, who died at Edgbaston on September 18th, at the age of 42, was well known as a useful all-round player in the cricketing circles of Warwickshire and Worcestershire.

E. A. PETERS, of the South Australian Eleven in 1898-99, died in September.

MR. WILLIAM WELFITT HALL, J. P., who was President of the Nottinghamshire County C. C. in 1897, was killed in mid-October whilst on board the S. S. Etruria by a very heavy sea which struck the ship when about two days out from New York.

MR. SYDNEY EVERSHED, a Vice-President of the Derbyshire County C. C., died at Burton, in November. Four of his sons had played in the County Eleven with success.

GEORGE NASH, who died of paralysis at Aylesbury on November 13th, will be chiefly remembered from his association with Lancashire cricket in the early eighties. A contemporary of Alec Watson and the late John Crossland, Nash was a slow left-handed bowler, to whose method of delivering the ball, as well as to that of his two colleagues, great exception was taken. By reason of his moderate pace, Nash did not excite such strong opposition as Crossland, but the belief in the unfairness of his delivery was quite as generally entertained. He first appeared for Lancashire in the season of 1879, but only assisted the county in two matches that summer. In the following year he took 37 wickets. His best seasons were 1881 and 1882, when he obtained fifty-two and sixty-two wickets respectively at a cost of just over ten runs apiece. He dropped out of Lancashire cricket in 1885. In recent years he played regularly for Bucks.

EZRA NUTTER, whose name will be found in the Lancashire team of 1885, died in November, at Nelson, in his forty-fifth year. He was well-known in Lancashire and Yorkshire as a club cricketer and umpire.

MR. RICHARD CLAYTON, an enthusiastic supporter of the game in Northumberland, died at his residence, Wylam Hall, near Newcastle, on November 29th, at the age of 63. He assisted Harrow against Eton, at Lord's, in 1858, and also appeared on a few occasions for Lancashire.

MR. JOHN EDWARD KERSHAW, who assisted Lancashire in 1877 and the three following seasons, died of consumption on November 30th. He was a capital batsman and field, and occasionally acted as wicket-keeper in the absence of Pilling. He was born at Heywood, in Lancashire, on January 12th, 1854, and was educated at Eccleshall College, near Sheffield. He was captain of the Heywood Club from its formation in 1878 until 1898, when he removed to Burnley. His greatest success as a batsman was when he played an innings of 66 against Sussex, in 1877.

The following Deaths occurred during 1902, but were not chronicled in WISDENfor 1903.

MR. JOHN WILLIAM MCEWAN, whose name will be found in the Middlesex Eleven in 1834, died suddenly in February, 1902, at the age of 39.

CAPTAIN G. AUSTIN, who died in May, 1902, had for many years managed the Canterbury Week with marked success.

MR. RICHARD HENRY COLLEY, who was born in 1833, died on July 3rd, 1902. He assisted Oxford against Cambridge in 1853, 1854, and 1855, playing in the year first-named a splendid innings of 68 against the bowling of Mathew Kempson and E. T. Drake.

MR. ROBERT BURT RANKEN, who appeared for Oxford against Cambridge in 1860, died on August 4th, 1902. He was Writer to the Signet, Edinburgh.

MAJOR ALEXANDER WILLIAM ANSTRUTHER-DUNCAN, of the Royal Horse Artillery, died October 18th, 1902. He was a very good bat and an excellent field, and his name will be found twice in the Sussex Eleven in 1875, and five times in 1878. On the last day of the Canterbury week of 1877 he played an innings of 120 for the Gentlemen of England against the Gentleman of Kent. He was born at Rajahmundry, Madras, Oct. 3rd, 1846.

THE REV. THOMAS DUODECIMO PLATT, who died on October 19th, 1902, appeared for Harrow against Eton in 1844 and four following years, being captain in 1847 and 1848. He was a very good all-round player, but was prevented from participating much in the game owing to his profession. The only occasion upon which he bowled against Eton was in his last year, and then, curiously enough, he obtained eight wickets in the first innings and five in the second, having a great deal to do with Harrow's victory by 41 runs.

ANDREW CROSSLAND, who was born at Dalton, in Yorkshire, on November 30th, 1817, died at Hull, on November 17th, 1902, and was buried in the Hessle Road Cemetery, at Hull. He was a very fine batsman, a medium-paced, round-armed bowler, and a useful wicket-keeper. He was the crack of the famous Dalton Eleven when that club was in its prime. He made his first appearance for Yorkshire in 1844 and his last in 1855, but continued to participate in minor matches until almost 70 years of age. His death was not noted by any newspaper.

JOSEPH BRIGGS, an elder brother of the late John Briggs, died on November 30th, 1902. His name will be found in a few Nottinghamshire matches in 1888.

JOHN SANDS, who died at his residence, The wickets, Dallington, Sussex, on December 24th, 1902, aged 80, was born at Mountfield, Sussex, on November 22nd, 1822. He had been coach at Stourbridge, in Worcestershire, and Harrow, and for twenty five years was engaged by the Drumpelier Club, Glasgow. A few years before his death, and when almost an octogenarian, he took six wickets for three runs in a village match. When Kent played Sussex, at Tunbridge Wells in 1858, Sands fielded substitute for one of the Kent players, who had met with an accident, and made four brilliant catches during the innings. On September 20th and 21st, 1877, the match between XXII of Drumpelier and District and the United South of England Eleven was played for his benefit.